


A Doc And A Cop

by Omoni



Series: Abovetale [20]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Lewff, Original Characters Galore!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-08-26
Packaged: 2018-07-14 17:19:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7182638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omoni/pseuds/Omoni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The background story behind Darian Reden and Dr Athena Thicke, their impact on the series, and their complex relationship throughout.</p><p>Darian Reden is the character of PhalinRed and is used with permission :3.</p><p>PhalinRed drew this awesome picture of Darian, so please take a look and compliment his awesomeness right here: https://68.media.tumblr.com/af11d91225dc8b7e5f69f08bb7d4d021/tumblr_oia9t8xWYZ1vg03h8o1_400.png</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PhalinRed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhalinRed/gifts).



Darian Reden first met Athena Thicke stoned off his ass and giggling from it. He couldn't help either one, but it was still - later - mortifying. He had good reason to laugh, however: a human doctor was helping him with his wounds that were caused by another human. Even stoned on pain medicine, he knew it was ironic gold.

Dr Thicke stared at him with a confused, almost exasperated look. She went to his IV pole and lowered the drip of the morphine a little, clearly identifying the partial cause of the giggles.

"Well," said Dr Thicke, the very first thing she ever said to him. "If you're that happy, I'm sure you'll be just fine."

She had no idea how right she was.

* * *

It began with a case gone out of control - a rare thing for Darian, which in turn made him angry - and thus a touch careless as a result. It had been planned as an easy grab-and-go operation, one that would finally get the wanted asshole off the streets.

So how had he managed to somehow not only throw the guy out of the window, but himself along with him? And at three floors up, to boot?

Luckily, bushes broke their fall, and the asshole did get caught - and sent to the hospital, too - but Darian by then had other things to deal with: he'd landed on his side, which resulted in a broken arm, shin, and cracked a few ribs. It was almost not worth it. In fact, at first it hadn't been, regardless if the guy got caught or not.

Until he met Dr Thicke, that is.

* * *

Dr Athena Thicke was the type of beauty that was understated but clear, a refined look that needed no makeup or jewellery to accent or emphasise. Her hair, a dark brown, was always pulled back into a ponytail or a bun, and her sombre face was usually free of a smile, opting instead for calm seriousness. Her eyes, large and grey, pierced into any and everyone she looked at, making her rather intimidating, almost as if she were taller than she actually was.

Darian's eyes met hers, and he stopped giggling abruptly. She was a human, and he didn't trust humans. He never had. _And I never will,_ he always told himself. But when his eyes met hers, something opened in his brain, and he found no trace of the usual distrust - or disgust, even. He already - oddly - trusted her.

"I'm Dr Thicke, Mr Reden," she said now, holding his chart in front of her and lowering her gaze to glance at it. "You have quite the recovery ahead of you, and while you recover, I'll be your primary doctor. Should you have a problem with that, I don't care." She met his eyes again, her eyes like steel. "I'm the best doctor in the province. You need the best. You have it. So deal with it, and we both win."

Indeed.

He oddly wanted to giggle again, but managed not to. "Uh," he said, surprised that his voice was oddly weak. "So... there are no monster doctors?"

Those grey eyes narrowed. "Did I not just say I was the best? That means for both humans and monsters, Mr Reden." She slapped his chart back in place and turned to leave, parting with, "I'll return in a few hours. Get some rest."

Oddly, he actually hoped she did.

* * *

True to her word, Dr Thicke really was the best. His recovery time, while long and frustrating, was significantly shorter than the average. Added to that, over time, Dr Thicke herself seemed to warm to him - something Darian, despite himself, found himself reciprocating.

Darian wasn't sure when things started to relax with her; perhaps it was when he'd actually, for once, made her laugh. It was an accident, but it still happened.

She'd been writing down his progress after a thorough exam - something he was still blushing from, as now she'd not only seen him naked, but injured along with naked as well - when his phone rang.

Both of them froze when they heard it, but for two different reasons: Darian was annoyed, and Dr Thicke was surprised. Then, suddenly, she laughed, a deep, unrestrained laugh that seemed to take her breath away.

She was still laughing when he'd hung up - it was his boss checking up on him - and he sighed. "What's tickling you, Doc?"

"Hawaii Five-O?" She giggled. "Really?"

Darian bristled a little. "So?"

"I never knew monsters even liked human media!" she admitted.

"Some of us grew up on it," he said shortly. "Your point?"

Dr Thicke grabbed his phone and dialled a number, then handed it back. She grabbed her phone from her pocket, just as it began to ring - with the Hawaii Five-O theme. She grinned at him, and he laughed, just a little, too shy to laugh like he wanted to. (Plus, it still hurt too much to laugh too hard.)

"You've got good taste in shows, Mr Reden," she concluded, her eyes shining.

"Heh, well, so do you," he agreed. Dr Thicke replaced her phone and scribbled a few more things down on his chart, then replaced it. "Thanks, Doc," he added.

"It's my job," she replied. She walked out, but not before giving him a wink, as if they not shared a deep, personal secret, and not just a similar taste in shows.

It was after that he realised he now had her phone number. And she knew it.

* * *

After that, Dr Thicke seemed to visit with him more, almost more than perhaps she needed to. After all, his recovery was going along smoothly thanks to her; was it out of worry, or something else?

Darian wasn't a very social person. He was jovial and fun with his coworkers - his police coworkers - but very rarely had any kind of strong friendship form, beyond getting beers after a closed case or a bad day. There were a few of his cop friends he would consider himself friends with, but his version was, for him, far more hands-off than average. He knew it, too. What people tended to understand was that it wasn't from apathy or misanthropy but shyness; Darian was very shy, made even moreso now that he was on the surface and working with humans. He was always wary of humans, made worse by this recent run-in ( _Into the window,_ he thought darkly), but he tried the best he could to trust his human coworkers.

Now he trusted a human doctor, he found. He hadn't wanted to, but Dr Thicke, despite being gruff, truly was trustworthy, and the more he saw her, the more he hoped that he'd actually be able to be friends with her. Maybe. _Or maybe, as time progressed, more..._

Darian didn't date. He not only was far too shy, but didn't have the time - especially with two jobs. He knew next to nothing about how to date, save what he saw from TV and movies. He knew even less about dating humans. So, when Dr Thicke visited more often, usually to talk about other shows they shared interested in, or even just the weather, he tried to figure out what it meant. He didn't know how to flirt, but she didn't see, to mind the lack, and still seemed to enjoy his company anyway.

Soon, after his physio and breakfast, he began to look forward to her daily visits - expect them, even - with a kind of bewildered excitement. When she finally did arrive, he was smiling the moment his eyes fell on her. He couldn't help it.

There was much to admire and find attractive in Dr Thicke, and it wasn't just looks. She was strong, intelligent, and no-nonsense, but beneath that was a kind, caring person, with a cheesy sense of humour and a love of bad puns. In many ways, she and Darian were quite alike, but also different enough to make it interesting.

He was just figuring out the extent of how he felt about her when, after several weeks, she suddenly announced, "This week you're going home."

Darian stared at her in shock.

She continued, her face calm along with her voice. "You'll of course be off work for several weeks, and I've arranged daily visits from both your physiotherapy nurse and an RN as you heal, but you'll be home."

"Uh... sure," he said slowly. Inside he felt terrible. "Yeah."

"Of course," she added, setting his chart aside and sitting down on one of the chairs beside him. "I'll need to see you regularly as well."

Darian blinked, his heart suddenly racing. "I... I will?"

"Of course, Mr Reden." She smiled at him wryly. "You can't escape me that easily. I need to make sure you're well taken-care of, don't I?"

The blood rushed to his face and ears, and he was glad it wasn't visible. "Uh, yeah," he said, feeling stupid. He also felt very, very lucky.

"So, you better listen to your nurses when they tell you to do something, got it?" She was still smiling. "Or else you'll make me look bad, and I'll smack you the next time I see you - every two weeks."

Darian winced at that. He actually believed she would - which she could see, and which made her laugh. "Wouldn't that just make my healing go on longer?" he wondered idly.

Dr Thicke grinned, her eyes glinting. "I'd smack you _away_ from your injuries."

Darian couldn't help it; he laughed. He was so happy about this. It was strange, getting so worked up over anyone, let alone a human. When he was younger, he remembered having crushes on fellow students, but that was as a child, and with other monsters. He was a grown adult, now - and Dr Thicke was a human. It was bizarre to him that he could feel this way for someone part of a people he distrusted.

But it was what it was, after all. And he chose to enjoy it.

* * *

When Darian got home, he found a thick envelope waiting for him in the mail, with no return address. When he was able to settle, he opened it - and found his next case. It showed a picture of a human politician, with as much information as possible, including possible criminal activity - mostly mob-affiliated - which made Darian grimace. These kinds of assholes were his specialty, but it didn't make it any less frustrating.

 _At least Asgore doesn't need me for anything,_ he thought grimly. In fact, ever since the barrier broke, Asgore barely spoke to him at all, save perhaps monthly inquiries about his goings-on. He could understand: Asgore's life was complicated, ever since, somehow, his long-dead son had come back from the dead - and had fallen in love with his adopted human daughter to boot. Frisk, the human liaison between their two peoples. He'd last heard that she was pushing to pass a law to allow interracial marriage.

With a jolt, Darian's eyes fell on Frisk's name in the report. Shocked, he read it.

_"He has shown open hostility towards Ambassador Frisk Dreemurr, especially in regards to monsters' rights, and has openly expressed this to several questionable people. If this increases, there's a chance he may have a vendetta against the Ambassador. Given his post, this would mean a danger to the Ambassador and/or her family."_

Well, at least now he knew how he'd be spending his recovery time: studying this politician named Carlson.


	2. Chapter 2

It would be two weeks before he saw Dr Thicke again. He'd been doing well enough with help, and was mending rather nicely. When she examined him, he felt embarrassed, still, but now he noticed it was different - it was very different. It didn't feel like some doctor examining him, but a friend, and it was both oddly comfortable - and incredibly embarrassing.

"You do look better," said Dr Thicke when she finished. "It's nice to see. You seemed quite put out when you first woke up."

"To be fair, I've been distracted," he admitted, surprising himself with his easy candour. "I have a new case to keep me busy."

"I hope it goes better than your _last_ case," she teased, smiling wryly, and he smiled. "Though I admit, uh--," she coughed suddenly, looking away.

Darian was confused. "What? You'd admit what?"

Was it the lighting in the office, or was she actually blushing? "I admit it's nice to meet another Five-O fan, despite the circumstances," she replied.

"Oh," he said, still confused. It sounded as if she'd meant to say something else.

"Hey, you still have my number, right?" Dr Thicke said suddenly, pointing at him with her pen.

He blinked. "Your number? Yes, the nurse gave me your card--,"

"No, no, my cell number," she corrected. "When I called your phone, did you happen to save it?"

"Uh," he blushed. "I... did, yeah."

She grinned, looking pleased. "Great! That's great!" She blinked, then coughed again. "I mean, in case of emergencies. If you can't reach me normally, call my cell."

"Uh, sure," he agreed, his ears burning, now. He was smiling. "Yeah. Thanks."

It was much later, at home, that he realised that she might had his number, and he wondered if she'd saved it, too.

* * *

Late into the night, a week later, Darian made a small break in the case, and it chilled him. Apparently, this politician really did have a vendetta against Ambassador Dreemurr, and it went deep into the mob. From his sources and his own (careful) gruntwork, there was something being planned around the Ambassador, but he couldn't tell what, exactly, it was. Just that it wasn't good.

* * *

"Weren't you once the Ambassador's doctor?"

Dr Thicke blinked, then smiled. "Yes. Frisk liked me so much she asked me to be her family doctor. She's a delight, her and her family. Really nice people."

Darian hesitated.

"Why do you ask?" she wondered.

"My case," he sighed, leaning back on the exam table. "It involves the Ambassador, and I was curious about what she was really like."

"Genuine," she said at once. "Truly genuine. Especially when it comes to her family."

Darian frowned. Much of what Carlson disliked about the Ambassador was that, apparently, to him, she was a liar and a manipulator. Granted, the source was dubious, but it made him feel nervous, all of a sudden. He believed Dr Thicke over Carlson, of course; that wasn't an issue. What was the issue was that, for whatever reason, this guy wanted the world to hate Frisk Dreemurr.

"Everything okay?" asked Dr Thicke now. He looked up and nodded slowly, his eyes going to the side. Everything wasn't okay, and seemed to only be getting worse the more he learned.

He had to get to the bottom of this case, before anyone got hurt. But he couldn't figure out how.

* * *

One night, he got a text.

_"So, what's the case about?"_

It was Dr Thicke; he knew because he'd programmed her name and cell number into his phone. He stared at it as it it was on fire, he was so surprised. A curtain of shyness fell over him, and for a moment he almost didn't answer back, afraid that if he did, he'd say something stupid and scare her off. As he hesitated, she texted again.

_"Are you allowed to talk about it? I'm on break and would love a good distraction."_

He fumbled for a moment before he got his paws to work better. _"I can, but not names. It's basically a corrupt politician."_

_"Aren't they all, though? How can you tell the difference?"_

He laughed at that. She had a point. _"This one is named. He's quite a slippery guy, covers his tracks, but also leaves his acts for all to see."_

 _"Sounds like a real POW,"_ she replied.

 _"To say the least,"_ he agreed. He then hesitated. Should he tell her about the possible involvement with the Ambassador? She was her doctor; would there be any way to somehow protect the Ambassador with Dr Thicke's help?

_"Is that why you asked about Frisk Dreemurr the other day?"_

Darian stared at the screen in shock. She was a very smart person indeed. _"Yeah. Good catch. He's got his eyes on her job, I think. Or something like that."_

_"That's rude. Is there anything that can be done about it?"_

He hesitated. An idea was coming to him, but it was rather personal in many ways. _"There may be one, but I'd need your help and your mind open."_

_"Sure. Ask away."_

_"Can we discuss it in person?"_

* * *

Dr Thicke stared at him with wide grey eyes. Darian looked back, trying to smile reassuringly.

 _"That's_ your plan," she said flatly.

"Yes," he said carefully.

"You have _that_ kind of power."

"Since I could crawl, yeah."

"And you want to use it for that." Everything she said was a statement, but Darian took each sentence like a question, anyway.

"I think it's my best bet to protect the Ambassador, yeah. Whatever this guy wants, it's bad, and she needs protection. This way, she doesn't know it, but is still protected."

Dr Thicke sighed, placing her chin in her hand and staring at him. "Okay, I'm in. But... Darian?"

His heart sped up suddenly from hearing his first name come from her - the very first time. "Yeah?"

"You should probably just call me Athena from now on." She grinned, and he grinned back.

He'd made a true friend, it seemed. "Alright... Athena."

* * *

At first, it worked out quite well. Darian and Dr Thicke - Athena - found the project to be oddly fun. For Darian, to shapeshift into her was both amusing and embarrassing, as now he knew her body rather intimately. "I've seen you and touched you when you've been naked. It's only fair for you to do the same." It was true, but no less amusing.

He met Frisk, finally, during one of her routine check-ups. Athena had taught him everything he would need to know to conduct the exam, and that she'd be in the next room should he need her to take over. He found Frisk rather pleasant, surprised to find that she was sometimes his younger brother Iggy's teacher. Of course, he didn't say as much, but it was a connection that hit him deep nonetheless.

Darian found he rather liked Frisk, and found Carlson's assessment of her to be grossly incorrect. He hoped that his findings would turn up wrong, and that no harm would come to her - she was very friendly and fun.

Her partner, Asriel, was another story. He was very protective of Frisk, and refused to leave the room at any time. He gave off a general air of distrust, which Athena had warned him about but he still found rather odd.

"He trusts no one but his family," Athena had explained. "Especially around Frisk. I'm no different. He's a good guy, just very, very... protective. Something about the way they'd met, or some such thing. He's still a good guy; he clearly loves her dearly, and it shows."

It did show, but it made Darian no less nervous. There was something menacing about the King's son, and he wondered just how much like his father Asriel truly was. He hoped only good things were shared between the two. Darian knew the bad side of Asgore all too well.

Frisk, however, was anything but a menace. She was fun and sarcastic, especially when it came to Asriel. "Stop hissing, love," she said to him, once. "You sound like a leaky tyre."

Asriel went scarlet and snapped, "I'm not hissing!" before crossing his arms over his chest and looking away, clearly sulking.

Frisk winked at Darian. "Leaky humour," she teased, and he laughed.

* * *

After, he and Athena, over lunch, talked about it.

"See what I meant?" asked Athena, her eyes sparking. "Frisk is a good person. She's a delight."

"Yup," Darian agreed. "That Asriel, though. Wow."

Athena laughed. "Indeed, that's the very least you could say about him!"

"What's his full story? Do you know?" Darian asked.

She shook her head. "I have no clue," she admitted. "All I know is that, at the same time that I met her, he was also looked at, too. He wasn't in the system, and no one knew that Frisk's parents even had a son until that day."

"So he just... showed up?"

"I guess so," she agreed. "He cried a lot. I remember that. There was a lot of guilt, there, as if he were involved in the injuries Frisk got. But now everyone knows it was the skeleton, sans, who did it, so I never understood it." She paused. "He's an annoyance, but he loves Frisk dearly."

"Even though technically they're siblings?" he wondered.

"I think so, yes," she said seriously. "I don't think they see each other like that - or if they ever did at all - because their obvious mutual love makes that seem almost impossible otherwise. They act like they have a deep history, too."

Darian sighed. "Now that I've met her, the last thing I want is for her to come to any harm."

"Is that likely, Darian?" Athena asked softly.

He blushed a bit, still not used to hearing her use his name so casually. But he nodded slowly. "The more I learn about this politician, the more likely it becomes," he said sadly. He looked up at her. "I still need your help, Athena."

She nodded. "You have it," she said. "I'll help in any way I can."

On impulse, he reached over and placed his paw over her hand, and she smiled. "Thank you," he said honestly.

"Of course," she replied. "We're friends, aren't we? Friends help each other."

Oddly, he seemed to hear a note of disappointment in her voice, and hours later, he still wondered why.


	3. Chapter 3

Even the most careful can fall. Even the most well-meaning can miss the point. Even the most caring of people can still cause their loved ones to fall.

That's how it ended up for Darian and Athena.

* * *

Darian stared at the latest batch of intell collected on Carlson and his cronies. He saw what it implied, saw it as clear as day, and yet his brain refused to accept it for quite some time.

He suddenly found his phone in his paw and was already dialling a number, before he put the phone to his ear and listened to it ring. Once it was answered, he blurted out, "It's an assassination plan."

There was a silence, before Athena said, slowly, "On Frisk?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

He sighed. "I don't know, but you... you need to be prepared, okay?"

"Can't you stop it, Darian?" she asked, her voice soft. "She's a good person."

"I _am_ going to stop it," he said, his voice hard in contrast to hers. It was almost a growl. _"I'm gonna stop it."_

"I hope so. Not just for her, but for you, too."

"Why me, too?"

"Because you care about her, too."

He shut his eyes. It was true, after all. The more he learned, the more he found to like. He didn't want her to get even possibly hurt, let alone hurt at all. "Yeah," he agreed sadly. "I do."

* * *

But everything went to hell, anyway. And he had to stand there and watch it happen, believing that it wouldn't, that he'd had it wrong, or that someone - someone in particular - would stop it in time.

He watched her get shot. Watched Undyne fall. And then, only did that someone act - far too late.

And he knew he was too late, and the blood was on his hands.

When the people around him began to scream and run away, he joined them, getting lost in the cacophony of chaos, though it was not enough to stop his heart from breaking.

* * *

When Darian could, he called Athena.

"It... it happened," he managed, his voice broken. Silence met him on the other end, until he heard a small sniffle.

"Dammit," she whispered. "I need to get to the hospital. Will you meet me there?"

"Yeah," he agreed. "Text me when you can be alone and I'll find you."

* * *

 _"Room 426 on the 4th floor."_ Darian got these instructions two hours later and followed them, knocking on the room in question. Athena walked out and grabbed him into a tight hug, shocking the breath from him. He found his arms going around her tighter, and he closed his eyes, his heart racing from such a simple embrace.

"It's bad, Darian," Athena whispered into his shoulder.

"How bad?" he asked, his eyes closing.

"She's pregnant."

Darian's eyes snapped open and he jerked back in disbelief. "But... Asriel's a monster!" he blurted.

Athena looked up at him with wet eyes, though they still remained like steel. "I know pregnant, and she's pregnant, Darian, monster husband or not."

Darian was shocked. He knew how monsters reproduced. That meant that Asriel and Frisk had used magic. Did they even know what they'd done? It was supposed to be impossible, after all. No one in his intell ever thought such a thing could happen - including him. Now that it had - and with Frisk being shot...

"Did... did the baby survive?" he asked, his voice soft.

"She did," Athena agreed. "She's tough, like her parents. Frisk is fighting it. She'll survive, too. I know she will." He eyes were glinting again, and he found himself unable to look away.

"Wanna get out of here?" he asked suddenly.

Athena looked up at him, a small smile appearing. "What did you have in mind?"

"Coffee?"

Athena shook her head. "Too public. If people saw me, we'd be mobbed."

Darian's heart suddenly sped up again. "Okay. Which is closer, your place or mine? We can have cheaper coffee, too."

"Mine is," Athena agreed, nodding. She reached down and grabbed onto his paw, her grip tight. She looked up at him. "I could use a good cup and good company."

"You've got it."

"Then let's get out of here."

* * *

It wasn't that easy. Athena was still on call, and could be brought back at any time, but they tried not to let that hinder them too much. Athena's apartment was very close to the hospital (she'd gotten it for that reason, she explained to Darian), and the moment they got there - neither one knew who started it - they embraced again, tight, Athena burying her face into Darian's shoulder. On impulse, Darian nuzzled her head gently, reaching down to smooth back the loose strands of hair from her face, and she held him tighter.

"Darian," she said softly, her voice muffled. "I have to tell you something."

"Anything," he replied honestly.

"I'm in love with you."

That was the last thing he'd expected to come from her, and he froze, his eyes wide. A wave of shock filled him, not because she said it, but because he'd felt the same for a long time, and had no inkling as to when it began - just that it had.

"How'd you know?" he murmured, not quite even sure of what he was saying. "How'd you know that I felt the same way?"

Athena paused, her fingers digging into his back. "I didn't, until now," she said, her voice so small it was closer to a whisper.

"Heh," Darian said softly into her hair, loving the smell of it - something fruit based and something that was all her own. "You got me."

"More like you've got me," Athena replied, hugging onto him tighter and nuzzling his neck - just a little. He felt a shiver snake up his spine from that small gesture, and he found himself instinctively holding tighter onto her.

"Athena..." he whispered. He didn't know why; he just felt the need to say her name. She nodded against his shoulder - and he suddenly felt her lips brush over softly feathered skin - and he felt more than a shiver from that.

"Everything's falling apart," she whispered, her voice choked. "Can't there be something we, just the two of us, can hold onto, Darian?"

Darian closed his eyes, swallowing hard. He knew what she meant, and there was nothing he wanted more at that moment. He pulled back a little to look at her, to see if it was mutual or something he was imagining. But no; her face was red, her eyes almost silver with her desire that was so obvious within them. "I... I..." He felt his face and ears burn, now. "I've never..."

Athena reached up and kissed him lightly on the tip of his beak, and she smiled. "And I've never, with a monster," she agreed. "We're both newbies, here, aren't we?"

He smiled back. He wished he could kiss her like a human could, but instead, did what was equivalent for him, and brushed his cheek against hers closely, sighing deeply from the feel of her oddly-bare cheek against his feathered on. She closed her eyes, the sound having an effect on her, and she moved closer, reaching up and, instead of his beak, she kissed his cheek. His eyes closed, the feel just wonderful.

"You sure about this?" he wondered, still not quite believing it, despite his body's reaction. Athena's eyes sparked, and she leaned close, brushing against him, and he was barely able to suppress a gasp from the contact; she felt amazing. And it was clear: she was very sure about this.

"Doesn't it make sense?" she replied. "Through all of the misery, there should be at least one thing that's wonderful?

"Yes," he agreed, to both of what she said - and what she did. Again, he brushed his cheek against hers, and she closed her eyes, smiling a little. Then, she took his paw and led him into her bedroom.

They sat down on her bed, and Athena started, her moves gently, carefully pulled off his shirt and brushing her fingertips over his skin. He shivered, and she smiled. His hands reached for her without control, tugging lightly on her own shirt, and she pulled it over her head without another thought. Then, she hugged him again, and the feeling was incredible: he shut his eyes and sighed deeply, nuzzling close, and she laughed gently from the sound, kissing his shoulder lightly.

She stood him up and reached forward, her hand going to the front of his pants and undoing them, and for a moment he held onto her, afraid his knees would give out. His decades of shyness were starting to come back, but she responded kindly, and slowly down her movements, pausing to undo her bra and shrug it off to distract him. Distract him it did, as his hands reached forward without much thought. She smiled and nodded, and he touched one breast lightly. She sighed, leaning into his touch, and his heart raced.

She leaned against him and reached back down, and this time he swallowed but didn't hesitate, instead leaning down and rubbing his cheek against her shoulder, then neck, lightly. She undid his pants, and he tugged them off. Her hand followed, reaching and pulling at his underwear, and he obliged, face burning.

But then she surprised him. She pulled back and undid her own pants, pulling them off easily, before she leaned back and embraced him, brushing against his obvious erection closely. He clung onto her, a small sound escaping him, and she kissed his neck gently, for a moment making him lost in sensation.

Then she pulled him back down onto her bed, so they sat next to each other. They touched cheeks again, and he whispered her name without thought, causing her to smile. She gently reached down, sliding her fingers around him, and he stumbled with another sound. She held onto him, and he shut his eyes tight, her hand moving slow along his length at first, until he clung onto her and moved his hips against her hand, and she increased the pace.

"Wait," he gasped out, and she paused. "Stop. I might..."

She smiled. "Then lie down."

He did, bemused, and she straddled him, her hand still gripping onto him tight. Staring into her eyes, he watched as she adjusted herself above him, her eyes steely and determined. "Ready for this?" she wondered gently. When he nodded, she lowered herself down onto him, exhaling sharply and closing her eyes, and he shut his tight, leaning back onto her bed. She felt incredible, like nothing he could have ever imagined. He reached up and grabbed her hips, and she leaned down and slipped her arms around his neck, kissing his beak, then leaning down to kiss his neck, and he couldn't help it: he moaned.

And then she began to move, and his eyes shut tight, his arms going around her, meeting her move for move without much thought, just that it felt amazing and felt more and more as time went on.

"Darian," she whispered into his shoulder, and he nodded, gasping a bit when he tried to reply. "I'm..." She clung onto him, both bodily and deeply, and she said his name again - but it was different, strained. The feel of her muscles tightening against him was too much, and he felt that same flash of pleasure hit him as Athena was feeling for herself, and he said her name and held onto her tight.

For a moment, the two just lay there, gasping for air and clinging onto each other tight. Then, slowly, Athena pulled away and slid to his side, curling up against him, an arm over his chest - and a leg around his waist. He lay there, his eyes shut, so tired and yet feeling so alive.

When they both had managed to catch their breath, Darian was grinning. Athena noticed and looked up at him, poking the tip of his beak lightly. "What's so funny?" she wondered.

"Not funny." he corrected. "Just... amazing is all. That was amazing."

"You've nothing to compare it to," she snorted. "I, however, can attest to it being so."

"Oh?" He blushed, looking closely at her. She didn't seem to be lying. "I... uh..."

"Don't thank me, Darian!" she said, exasperated, though she smiled. "Don't be weird!"

"Don't you think this is a little weird?" he wondered idly, though he nuzzled the top of her head without helping it anyway.

"Hm..." she said slowly, her fingers tracing a circle on his chest. "Nope. Maybe someone else, but, you?" Her grey eyes sparked. "I could never feel weird being in bed with a fellow Five-O fan."

Darian laughed, and she joined in, kissing his beak and snuggling closer. He held onto her tight.


	4. Chapter 4

For years, together, they'd not only managed to maintain a ruse, but Darian managed to maintain a ruse within a ruse. Even though Athena willingly allowed him to borrow her likeness for many years in order to protect and ensure Frisk - and her family - remained safe, still things came out in the open, and eventually, a system kept for years fell - and willingly, may it be added.

When it did - rather violently - for Darian, and once they were alone, Athena asked, very softly, "That's it, right? There are no more secrets between us?"

They lay in bed together, Darian curled up behind Athena, his paws over her abdomen almost protectively, his eyes closed. When he heard these words, he opened his eyes and sighed.

"I promise you," he said softly, almost into her shoulder, shutting his eyes again. "I will never, ever lie to you again."

"Because I won't marry a liar," she burst out. "I refuse to have a liar as a husband. You may be the father of this child, Darian, but if you lie to me again..."

"I won't."

"You better not." Her voice was as steely as he knew her eyes were.

"I promise you, Athena," he said, pulling her closer to him. "I promise. I never meant to keep this from you, but Asgore..."

"Charming man, that one." she said idly. "I should have known the moment he tried to burn someone in the hospital that he was more than just a cuddly father-figure."

Darian snorted. "To say the very least," he agreed.

"How are your injuries?"

"I'll survive," he replied with a wry smile. "I've a good doctor, after all."

"I should fire you as my patient," she answered sharply. "A doctor needs patient honesty."

Darian nuzzled her neck gently, and she sighed, finally relaxing in his arms. "You have my honesty," he promised.

"I better have it," she agreed, her voice hard. "Or I'll have your balls."

His eyes blinked open in surprise. He could tell she was being serious - which was alarming. "Uh," he added, "excluding small secrets for the good of the relationship?"

"Nope." Her voice was hard. "No more lies, Darian. Ever. I'd rather be spoilt on a present than have you lying to me." She turned around a little to look at him. "What's the use of marrying and having a family if you're just going to lie?"

Darian met her gaze and nodded. "There is none," he agreed.

She turned back around, but leaned back closer to him, and he held her tighter. "I'm glad you're safe. But we're going to need a new couch."

He laughed. "Athena, you always do that," he said.

"Do what?"

"Always find a way to make a joke of something serious," he said, his tone admiring. He truly envied her that, her easy wit. "How do you manage it?"

"Multiple siblings," she replied, and he could tell she was smiling. "Now shut up. I take it the King is on the couch?"

"Yep."

"We're definitely going to need a new one."

"Good. That one is uncomfortable."

"Darian!" She leant back and gave him a sour look. "I picked that couch!"

"And?" He blinked slowly.

"And..." She sighed. "Fine, it's a piece of shit. Its final act will be to make Asgore sleep badly. Deal?"

Darian smirked. "Definitely. I've been saying it for years. So has Iggy."

"Iggy is..." She waved a hand with a grin. "Delicate."

"He is not and you know it," he replied, and she nodded, patting his arm lightly. He was sensitive about Iggy, and even a joke against him got his feathers ruffled, however well-meaning.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Iggy's a tough cookie. How's he doing, anyway?"

Darian sighed this time, thinking about how to word it. "Okay?" he offered. "Last I talked to him, he was a little withdrawn. It's been years and... I don't think he's over it, yet."

"Would you be?" she wondered. "I sure as hell wouldn't be."

"No," Darian agreed darkly. "I wouldn't be."

"Give him time, Darian," Athena advised gently. "Now shut up. I mean it. I'm tired."

He shut up immediately, resting his cheek on her shoulder and nuzzling closer. She smiled and pulled him so, and they slept that way, two spoons together.

* * *

Much more would happen to them, especially once their child - another monster-human hybrid - was born. But those are stories for another time, and another teller. For now, this one ends it here, in a moment of peace.

**The End**


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise bonus chapter! I wrote this for PhalinRed, who's having a bit of a rough patch, in order to hopefully cheer him up. :3 love ya, buddy. Hope this gives you a smile.

"Uh," Darian said, pausing in the doorway of the soon-to-be nursery. He was just finishing up on his tie when he saw that Athena was sitting in there, on the rocking chair, rocking slowly with one hand on her belly, the other holding a book she was reading. She was dressed in her evening gown but her hair was down and wore no jewellery or shoes. "Honey?" he added.

"Yup," she replied casually, turning a page with barely a blink.

"Uh, Athena, the reservation?" he said, hesitating in the doorway.

"Oh, yes. Can you cancel it, please?" she asked calmly, not even looking up.

"Uh, why?" Darian walked into the room, confused. He eyed his fiancee closely; she looked very calm, though there was some paleness to her cheeks and her brow was a little furrowed. "Are you alright?"

She looked up with a smile. "Mmhm. Just in labour, dear."

Darian jolted in shock, stumbling, his tie getting tangled in his paws. "You're what? In what? Just, what?!" he stammered, staggering over to her side and kneeling down next to the chair.

Athena reached up and cupped a hand over his cheek gently. "In labour, dear," she repeated. "I have been for about a half-hour."

"Hospital?" Darian blurted out, his voice cracking and his eyes huge. "Hospital. Let's go. Now? Now?"

Athena grabbed his beak and held it shut. "Breathe, dear," she said, her eyes shining with mirth. Darian shut his eyes and did, slowly, and she took her hand away. "I'm not there, yet. Give it a bit more, and I will be. I'm timing the contractions, so don't worry, okay?"

"But Frisk, when she went into labour, it almost killed her!" Darian protested, his eyes open wide again and looking panicked. He grabbed her hand into his tight and tugged. "Come on, let's go, please?"

Athena sighed. "Darian, I'm Frisk's doctor, remember? I know what I'm getting into. Also, I'm older and not as small, and things are far better and more prepared now, okay?"

"No," Darian answered, still feeling panicked. "Humour me, please? Hospital now, please?"

Athena sighed, rolling her eyes. "Darian, my water hasn't even broken yet."

"It has to?"

Athena blinked slowly at him. "Did you learn nothing from being Frisk's doctor?"

"You handled most of that!" he protested. He tugged on her hand again. "Hospital!"

"No! Though, I will get changed." With his help, she got to her feet slowly, sighing yet again, before she gently slapped his hands away and poked his beak with a smile. "Call the restaurant, okay?" She walked slowly out of the room, back to their bedroom, and Darian watched her carefully, his hands out, just in case.

He was just hanging up when he heard her mutter, "Shit." Darian raced to the bedroom, just to see Athena dart to the bathroom and shut the door. After a moment, he heard her add, "Oh for fuck's sake," before the shower suddenly went on. Bemused and feeling panic again, Darian went to the door and hesitated; he respected her privacy but was still incredibly worried.

"Oh, just come in, Darian," she called, sounding amused, and he did, his stomach full of nervousness. She turned the shower off and grabbed her towel with a wry smile at him.

"Are you-? Do I need-? Athena--,"

Again she grabbed his beak closed. "Darian, please breathe, okay?" she advised gently. He did, closing his eyes for a moment. "I need you to breathe, got it?" He nodded, opening his eyes again slowly, reaching up and taking her hand and pulling it from his beak. "My water broke," she concluded softly. "Now I should go in."

Darian nodded, then turned and dashed out of the bathroom. Athena sighed. "Dari--,"

"I'm packing!" he answered.

Athena rubbed her belly, murmuring, "Your father is so silly." With a shrug, she focused instead on getting dressed.

* * *

"Darian. Stop fussing," Athena said, for what must have been the tenth time. He couldn't, though; every time she had a contraction, he grabbed her hand between his and talked her through is, despite, every time, being told that it wasn't necessary. In reply, he reached up with a damp cloth and brushed the sweat away.

They were in one of the maternity rooms, Athena's contractions now close enough to warrant it. Darian sat beside her, though he always stood up whenever she had a contraction. So far, the labour was almost by the book, despite the baby being a hybrid. It was a nice surprise, considering their only experience was Frisk's - which had been anything but typical.

"Hello!" Dr Alphys greeted them as she walked in. Normally, Alphys wasn't a doctor of this caliber, but both Darian and Athena had requested her directly throughout the entire pregnancy, and she'd agreed - though she was shy about it. "H-how are we doing?"

Athena grabbed Darian's beak and held it closed yet again, just as he was about to speak. He sighed and narrowed his eyes in resignation. "Just fine," she replied. "Contractions are about four minutes apart."

Alphys nodded, looking over Athena's chart closely. "That's good! Everything seems to be going normally," she observed, sounding relieved. "That's wonderful! Mind if I stay for a bit, to observe your next contraction? Then we'll check to see how dilated you are, though I expect you should be able to begin, soon. Is the pain bad? Do you need anything?"

Athena blinked for a moment. She was in pain, yes, but oddly, not as much as she was expecting, especially after what she had observed with Frisk. "I'm okay," she admitted. "That sounds fine."

Alphys sat down beside Darian, who was still silenced by his fiancee. "Hello, Mr Reden!" she said cheerfully. He nodded, rolling his eyes in reply, which made her giggle.

"Oh," Athena said suddenly, leaning forward, her hands on her belly. "Here we go,"

The contraction lasted thirty seconds, and Athena breathed her way through it, though clearly it hurt like hell. When it was over, she leaned back and shut her eyes, and Darian was back with the cloth immediately. Alphys took the time to lift the blanket and check, and was surprised at what she found.

"Uh, Doctor?" Alphys said, looking up at her. "Uh, you... you're ready. You're really ready."

Both Athena and Darian stared at her in surprise. "Wait, what?" Athena stammered. Alphys lowered the blanket and called in a few nurses, who came in with the necessary tools to get started. Alphys dragged a stool over to the foot of the bed and lifted the blanket again, and Darian grabbed Athena's hand tight, shaking, now.

"On your next contraction, push," Alphys said, all business, now, her hands gentle as she prised Athena's legs apart further gently. "You're ready to start."

"You're kidding me," Athena whispered. "But... I don't... I'm not..."

"You are," Alphys replied, giving her a smile, as one of the nurses placed a pulse monitor on one of Athena's fingers. "Get ready."

Darian stared at Athena, his eyes wavering, and she stared back, smiling brightly, touching his cheek gently. No words at to be said; they both knew.

* * *

It only took fifteen minutes, an incredibly short birth that surprised everyone in the room, especially with how easy it was and how little pain was actually felt. Alphys caught and held up their son, and Darian immediately burst into tears, something he was not prone to doing at all. Athena stared, her face full of wonder, as the nurses came close and cleaned him off as he cried, before severing the cord and wrapping him up in swaddling cloths. Alphys then got up and brought him over to Athena, whose arms were already out. She took him into her arms and held him close, and his crying eased.

He was definitely Darian's son. He was almost purely avian, covered in bright white feathery skin. The only human feature that was prominent were his eyes: they were wide and grey, just like Athena's. Athena stared into them and began to cry softly, and Darian was right beside her, tears running down his cheeks, reaching out and touching his son's soft cheek.

"Hello, Dawnson," she whispered, closing her eyes and kissing him on the top of his head. Darian wrapped his arms around them both and hugged them tight, still weeping.

Alphys smiled at them both, then added, a little hesitantly, "You need to expel the afterbirth now." Athena nodded and gave Dawnson to Darian, who picked him up and held him to his chest, standing up to give Athena privacy as this happened. He was immediately lost to his son, unable to stop staring at him, as those grey eyes stared back at him, his cries fading now. His heart was racing but so full, and he was still weeping, unable to help it. He was already in love.

Once Athena was cleaned up and relaxed, Darian sat down next to her again. Alphys gestured to the nurses to give them privacy, before she said, gently, "You may want to try to feed him, soon, before you both get some well-needed sleep. Call me back the moment you need me, okay?" When Athena nodded, Alphys touched her shoulder with a squeeze and left.

"I can't believe how easy that was," Athena admitted, Dawnson now in her arms again. Darian was gently rubbing Dawnson's head, his tears dry now. "I never even imagined it would be." Carefully, she shifted Dawnson and hiked up her hospital gown, wincing a little before offering a breast to him. It took several tries until he latched on, and she winced again; his beak was sharp, but he could still nurse fine, which was a relief. She had been worried it wouldn't be possible.

Darian leaned close and rested his head on her shoulder, still stroking Dawnson's soft head slowly as he fed. He was speechless, his eyes wavering, his entire being so warm and happy that no words seemed good enough to say at all. Athena looked at him and smiled, reaching up with one hand and stroking his cheek gently, and he closed his eyes.

"We did it, Darian," she whispered. Darian closed his eyes and smiled, nodding. He had never felt so happy. And the best part? It was only the beginning. He gathered Athena and Dawnson as close as he could, burying his face into Athena shoulder with a great sigh, and Athena kissed him softly on the tip on his beak.

Thus, the second known hybrid was born to the world, opening the gate for more, which in turn meant a new world, indeed.


End file.
